Friday, December 21, 2012

Mother Lode!

White Whale Limited, our favorite antiques shoppe in Hudson, New York, is a treasure trove of vintage ornaments this December. The dealers there stocked up on them throughout the year, and their store is laden with them. Over the last two weekends Boy and I visited the shop several times in our quest for ornaments, as the dealers brought them out in stages to replenish their stock as needed.

The photograph in today's post shows but a fraction of the vintage ornaments we bought at White Whale this Yuletide season. Boy has arranged them prettily in a gilt Paris Porcelain reticulated basket on stand, circa 1820. It now sits on a cocktail table in our drawing room.

In addition to the colorful ornaments shown here, we also found lots of silver ones at White Whale that Boy has already hung on our Christmas tree. Our tree is the subject of my next post, Dear Reader.

Oh Reggie, how wonderful these little gems have found their way home to Darlington House. I'm mad for your gilt basket - it is fabulous. I'm in London for Christmas again this year (lucky me), but just before I left, I had to do something to feel as though Christmas was around the corner. Up went the feather tree loaded with silver ornaments. I look forward to seeing your silver tree soon.

Hello Reggie, That's the way I like to shop for antiques--in quantity! Sometimes I'm not fond of too much gilt on porcelain, but you have found the perfect use, which picks up the silvering in the ornaments.

What a gorgeous photo! Isn't antiquing fun? I love when I find that "one thing" you just have to have. I went to a church flea market one Sunday here in DC. I was one of the first one's to go in. As I was browsing around I spotted a vintage KitchenAid Mixer tucked in behind some old clothes. I reached in and yanked it out, boy did I get some envious looks; the price? $20! That was 6 years ago and dozens and dozens of home made goods later. Anyway...I enjoy this blog very much. Merry Christmas to all at Darlington House.J. B.

About Me

Saint Grottlesex/Ivy League somewhat-observant Episcopalian WASP living on Manhattan's UES during the week with a career in finance. Weekends I hightail it up to the Hudson River Valley where I'm ruinously restoring and furnishing a jewel of a Federal house with my spouse, Boy Fenwick, and our most-adored pug, Basil, who has decided views on these subjects.